This is probably my busiest December, ever.
Will be performing Great is Thy Faithfulness for all 4 services this weekend, and taking a total of 5 Choir Caroling Gigs this Christmas. Apart from that, I'll be involved in JAM's Xmas service, and this year they'll be putting up a Christmas Musical. And the most exciting thing is, I just got informed that I am supposed to lead Praise for the Christmas Service (This is OMGOMGOMGOMG + Hallelujah added together), and in the musical I'm supposed to be a lead singer while the students dance to the song, haha. Quite interesting huh.
I really really REALLY thank God for the chance to song lead without having to go through any auditions, and I really think that such an opportunity dropped from Heaven. I have led in cellgroup before, led in zone before, but I have never thought that the chance to lead in a formal service will come so soon! God is really full of surprises.
Lynn's the lead actress for the Xmas Musical! So proud of her! :)
Just went to visit 3 special needs homes together with JAMs church today. Went there to perform Christmas Carols and sang "Angels Brought Me Here", and also help out for the outreach at the same time. I calculated, I sang a total of close to 30 songs today :X And that explains my tired voice during choir prac just now.
The experience was amazing, and even though my purpose there was to bless the people, I felt really blessed in return. Honestly speaking, every time when I step into a special needs home and look at the conditions of the place and the people, I feel scared. Visiting homes is the direct opposite of visiting hotels, if you get what I mean, and there is always a type of unpleasant smell in such places. When I first saw the people, I feel hesitant to approach them as well.
The first thoughts that always run through my mind are Should I shake their hands? Are their hands clean? Should I hug them? Are they clean?
Every single time, I had to take a deep breath and tell myself to just do it. And its amazing how a simple handshake can mean so much to them. At the start, they were all sitting at their own seats, staring down at the floor and looking gloomy. But when you start to reach out your hand to them, you'll begin to see them lifting up their heads, and their faces brightening up, and slowly...smile :) And the smile, is priceless.
I was just telling Jovan today that JAMs isnt a glam ministry. We dont have a big crowd, we dont have people who will learn how to really P&W like how we usually do in service. Here, you meet all sorts of people that requires lots of patience and an expanded capacity to love. But one thing really amazing, is that even though they may not know anything, God's love is with them all the same. I teared the first time I attended my first JAMs service, because this group of people are truly the ones who needs God's grace the most.
What a great honour to serve You and the people You love.